Articles of clothing which provide a head covering and a weather shield when worn about the shoulders or body, and, when used in combination with other items, such as a pole, provide an umbrella-like weather protecting device, are not generally available. The prior art discloses hats with attached scarves, ear and neck protectors, rain shielding veils, hats which convert into capes, hats in which the peak can be folded up inside the hat, and ponchos which can be turned into weather protecting means by the use of a rigid support structure. None of the prior art discloses a hat with a cape contained within, which can be pulled out from the hat and worn at the same time the hat is worn, giving the hat the shape and style desired by the wearer.
Several pertinent patents disclose various articles of clothing:
______________________________________ Patent No. Inventor ______________________________________ 2,708,273 Bonaventura 1,050,310 Steinberg 2,856,607 Richardson 2,736,035 Spreiregen 361,717 Postman 1,598,314 Rosenberg 573,618 Rice 4,321,708 Troiano 2986,741 Brassington 2,147,872 Wittcoff 4,164,089 George 4,096,590 Keshock D 136,334 Witz ______________________________________
The Steinberg patent discloses ear and neck flaps which fold down out of an upper cap and which can be retained within the cap. The patent is distinguishable in that it lacks both the cape feature and the feature which enables the converting a plurality of such articles of clothing into an umbrella-like weather protecting device. Also lacking is the mechanism by which a full length cape can be retained within the head covering.
The Witz design merely discloses a hat with attached decorative scarves which are designed to lie down behind the hat and head of the wearer. The design discloses no functional utility as a weather protecting means, not being designed as such, and in no way discloses the feature of the claimed invention in which the article of clothing is converted into an umbrella-like weather protecting means.
Richardson discloses a pull down plastic perforated veil covering the entire head, extending to just below the chin, and being stowed in the upper hat device by the means of a draw string. This invention discloses no method for the stowing of a full length cape and also discloses no feature similar to the umbrella-like weather protecting means of the claimed invention.
Bonaventura teaches ar article of clothing which may be alternately worn as either an apron, a hat, or a cape. The claimed invention may be distinguished in that the cape of the claimed invention pulls out from a hat, the cape remaining attached to the hat, whereas the Bonaventura device is either a hat, or a cape, but not both simultaneously.
Wittcoff discloses a hat which may be turned into a parasol by the means of a centrally connected support rod. This device is easily distinguishable in that it does not disclose a hat containing a cape which may be converted into an umbrella-like weather protecting device.
Brassington merely discloses a scarf, of similar shape as the Witz scarf, which may be tied about the neck and which covers the back portion of the wearer's head. It discloses no deployable cape to cover the shoulders or any means for converting the scarf into an umbrella-like weather protecting means.
George discloses a weather protecting means which requires a rigid support structure. Also, this device cannot be worn as a head covering. Postman merely discloses a cap with a retractable peek. The claimed invention is distinguishable in that it uses a detachable visor.